BEER PRICES

Evening Star, Issue 23352, 23 August 1939, Page 17

BEER PRICES

SALE BY IMPERIAL MEASURE DEMANDED [Per .United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 22. The increase in the price of beer was discussed at a meeting of the employees of the Colonial Sugar Company’s Chelsea refinery. A resolution was unanimously passed strongly protesting against tho action of the hotel licensees in raising the price of beer. The passing on to the wage-earners of any increased beer taxation without the specific sanction of the Government was resented and the meeting demanded that beer should be sold by imperial measure and suggested that sixpence was a fair price for a pint. TRADE DEFENDS INCREASE. A statement was made by Mr 31, J. Walsh, secretary of the Auckland Provincial Council, speaking for the wholesale and retail sections of the licensed trade of the province, with reference to tho local reaction to tlie passing on to the public of the Increase in the duty on beer. He said that the trade in both its wholesale and retail branches had no alternative but to act similarly to the petrol companies and transfer the ne\V_ impost to its customers. Once again it had hietely acted as Collecting agent for the Government, as it had so frequently done in the past. The trade in neither of its branches was in a position to carry or absorb the new excise duty.